A neighbor blessed us with some cucumbers from his garden. Besides cucumbers and onions in vinegar or diced up for a salad, what other recipes can a cook find that call for this particular fresh veggie item?
How about looking in my own cookbook? There on the pages of Way Back in the Country Garden (I had forgotten about this particular entry) was the Hot Cucumber Soup recipe. It used on-hand recipe ingredients and could be prepared in a jiffy. Can’t beat those qualifications.
Diced cucumbers and onions are cooked, along with some spices, in low-sodium chicken broth. To serve warm I added a scoop of plain yogurt and a bit of fresh mint for garnish. (Don’t skip the yogurt. I used the Greek variety—doesn’t everyone these days?) I waited for Hubby’s reaction.
“Cucumbers. In a soup? This is really good.” He clearly didn’t remember it from the first-time around, when I was taste-testing recipes for Country Garden, years ago. Well, clearly I hadn’t remembered it either. It made only enough for two servings, but I have more cucumber and the other ingredients, so we’ll repeat tonight.
Anything that doesn’t require heating up the oven qualifies as being “cool as a cucumber”.
Hot Cucumber Soup
2 teaspoons butter
1 cucumber
2 cups chicken stock (I used lower-sodium variety)
2 green onions
1/2 teaspoon seasoned salt (try a sodium-free variety)
pinch nutmeg
2 teaspoons fresh mint leaves
2 tablespoons plain yogurt
In large saucepan melt butter. Peel cucumber and cut in half lengthwise. Remove seeds and cut cucumber into thin slices. Sauté for 2 minutes. Chop onions; add them to the pan along with chicken stock and spices. Simmer 5 minutes. Serve hot topped with yogurt and mint. Makes 2 servings.
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